The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement did not exist during the George W. Bush administration and was therefore not illegal during his time in office. The movement was founded years after he left office.
Here are the key facts:
- Bush's term: George W. Bush served as the 43rd U.S. President from 2001 to 2009.
- BLM's origin: The Black Lives Matter movement was founded in 2013, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The movement gained further momentum during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
- Legality of protest in the U.S.: The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to peaceful assembly and protest. While law enforcement can place narrow, content-neutral restrictions on protests related to time, place, and manner, the BLM movement itself is not, and has never been, illegal.
